Nearly 8 billion
gallons of water are used outdoors by U.S. households each day, mainly for landscape irrigation.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Outdoors, July 20, 2026Landscape reference
Landscape Water Use Statistics
Current U.S. figures on outdoor water use, irrigation waste, and the choices that can make a landscape work more efficiently.
Updated September 9, 2026
Useful numbers for better outdoor decisions.
Landscape decisions affect how a property looks, feels, and functions. They also affect how water moves through the site and how much is needed to keep planting healthy through the season.
This reference brings together current national figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program. The numbers are national estimates, not a substitute for evaluating the conditions of a particular property.
At a glance
Landscape water use by the numbers.
More than 30%
of the average household's total water use happens outdoors, equal to as much as 25,000 gallons each year.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, March 11, 2026Up to 50%
of water used outdoors can be lost to wind, evaporation, and runoff when irrigation is inefficient.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, March 11, 2026Up to 25,000
gallons of water can be wasted each year by an automatic irrigation system that is not properly maintained and operated.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, March 11, 2026Up to 30%
less irrigation water may be used with a WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller, saving an average home up to 15,000 gallons annually.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, March 11, 202615%
is the potential reduction in a household's irrigation water use when a system is well managed, or nearly 7,600 gallons each year.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, March 11, 2026More than 300
gallons of water are used by the average American family each day at home. Roughly 70% of that use occurs indoors.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, How We Use Water, August 4, 2026More than both
showering and washing clothes combined: that is how much water the average U.S. household uses outdoors, according to the EPA.
U.S. EPA WaterSense, Outdoors, July 20, 2026What the figures mean
Good landscape planning starts with the conditions already there.
Water use is shaped by the climate, soil, sun, slope, plant choices, lawn area, and irrigation system on a property. A design that responds to those conditions can make the garden easier to care for without giving up the character or comfort that makes outdoor space worth using.
For Western New York homeowners, that can mean placing plants where they are suited to the light and soil, using turf where it serves a real purpose, considering drainage before hardscape is built, and making irrigation decisions with the whole property in view.
Methodology and sources
How to use this reference.
All figures on this page are taken from U.S. EPA WaterSense materials published or updated in 2026. The source and date for each figure appear directly with that statistic. The page is reviewed regularly so outdated figures can be replaced while these section links remain stable.
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, Outdoors, updated July 20, 2026.
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, Statistics and Facts, updated March 11, 2026.
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, How We Use Water, updated August 4, 2026.
Cite this page
Gaelic Clover Landscape Design. “Landscape Water Use Statistics.” Updated September 9, 2026. https://gaeliccloverlandscapedesign.com/landscape-water-use-statistics.